A Cake for that Coffee Addict Someone

Coffee and Walnut Layer Cake

Ingredients

For the sponge:

50 grams walnut pieces

225 grams caster sugar

225 grams soft unsalted butter (plus some for greasing)

200 grams plain flour

4 teaspoons instant espresso powder

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

4 large eggs

1 - 2 tablespoons milk

For the buttercream frosting:

350 grams icing sugar

175 grams soft unsalted butter

2 ½ teaspoons instant espresso powder (dissolved in 1 tablespoon boiling water)

approx. 10 walnut halves (to decorate)

Method

- Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4/350°F.

- Butter two 20cm / 8inch sandwich tins and line the base of each with baking parchment.

- Put the walnut pieces and sugar into a food processor and blitz to a fine nutty powder.

- Add the 225g/2 sticks butter, flour, 4 teaspoons espresso powder, baking powder, bicarb and eggs and process to a smooth batter.

- Add the milk, pouring it down the funnel with the motor still running, or just pulsing, to loosen the cake mixture: it should be a soft, dropping consistency, so add more milk if you need to. (If you are making this by hand, bash the nuts to a rubbly powder with a rolling pin and mix with the dry ingredients; then cream the butter and sugar together, and beat in some dry ingredients and eggs alternately and, finally, the milk.)

- Divide the mixture between the 2 lined tins and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the sponge has risen and feels springy to the touch.

- Cool the cakes in their tins on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, before turning them out onto the rack and peeling off the baking parchment.

- When the sponges are cool, you can make the buttercream.

- Pulse the icing sugar in the food processor until it is lump free, then add the butter and process to make a smooth icing.

- Dissolve the instant espresso powder in 1 tablespoon boiling water and add it while still hot to the processor, pulsing to blend into the buttercream.

- If you are doing this by hand, sieve the icing sugar and beat it into the butter with a wooden spoon.

- Then beat in the hot coffee liquid.

- Place 1 sponge upside down on your cake stand or serving plate.

- Spread with about half the icing; then place on it the second sponge, right side up (i.e. so the 2 flat sides of the sponges meet in the middle) and cover the top with the remaining icing in a ramshackle   swirly pattern.

- This cake is all about old-fashioned, rustic charm, so don’t worry unduly: however the frosting goes on is fine. similarly, don’t fret about some buttercream oozing out around the middle: that’s what makes it look so inviting.

- Gently press the walnut halves into the top of the icing all around the edge of the circle about 1cm apart.

Recipe copied and pasted from http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/COFFEE-AND-WALNUT-LAYER-CAKE-5307